Part 4 of the TV movie "The Battle for Mewni."
Ludo's reign over the Butterfly Kingdom reaches a tipping point when Star returns to her castle.
Tropes:
- 11th-Hour Superpower: Star dips down inside the wand's pocket dimension, undergoing a Transformation Sequence into a Golden Super Mode and forcing her way back to Mewni to annihilate Toffee.
- Ambiguous Situation: After Star drowns in her corrupted magic, she finds herself alone with Glossaryck in the middle of an empty void, eating stew. Are they dead, or simply lost in the deepest part of the magical realm? Glossaryck himself isn't sure.
- Antagonist Title: Toffee is the villain and name dropped in the title.
- Berserker Tears: After being told that Star is "gone", both Moon and Marco lash out at Toffee, tears welling up in their eyes.
- Bittersweet Ending: Toffee has been destroyed, Ludo seems to be redeemed, the Magical High Commission are resurrected, Star's wand is finally whole again (and stronger than before) and the multiverse's magic has been purified of Toffee's corruption. However, Lekmet was Killed Off for Real, Glossaryck may or may not be dead, and destroying Toffee seems to have broken the seal on Eclipsa's prison and released the Queen of Darkness to take his place.
- Body Horror: Toffee regenerating around Ludo is rather disturbing. As is Toffee's condition after being hit with Star's Wave-Motion Gun.
- Bond One-Liner: Ludo of all people gets to deliver one to Toffee after dropping a pillar on him to cut off his Villainous Breakdown rant.Toffee: Only I know how this all turns out!
[pillar smashes his remains]
Ludo: It "turns out" you're dead. - Break the Haughty: Finding out that everything he's done since Season 2 was due to Toffee's manipulations — and that he wasn't even considered useful — does a number on Ludo's self-confidence.
- Call-Back:
- Star casts the Whispering Spell again, and tosses Ludo into the abyss again. But this time she did it at Ludo's request, and magics up a bag of chips to throw in with him.
- Star once again finds herself eating a bowl of stew with Glossaryck, which ends up being a metaphor for the "Dip Down" technique.
- Came Back Strong: It's unclear whether or not Star actually died, but after Toffee crushes the half of the wand she's trapped in and she seemingly drowns in the corrupted magic, she manages to "Dip Down" far enough to grab the last uncorrupted bit of magic. The result is her purifying the magic and returning in a Golden Super Mode with enough power to critically damage Toffee, making it possible to finally kill him.
- The Cavalry Arrives Late: King River shows up after the showdown with Toffee, accompanied by a flock of giant eagles that saved him and the Mewni children's choir from being levitated high into the sky.
- Censorship by Spelling: When Ludo is asking Star to tell him the secret of his wand, he rather pathetically tries to keep the wand from knowing what they're talking about by spelling out the word instead of saying it. He also misspells wand as "W-O-N-D".
- Continuity Nod:
- Star notes that Ruberiot is "really good at ruining people's lives with songs."
- Later, when considering a bowl of stew that Glossaryck offers her, Star mentions being thought of as "a skimmer," before announcing that it's time to "dip down".
- Star gains a Golden Super Mode akin to Moon's. Also her Mewberty wings finally get large enough to fly with them, instead of gliding.
- The Corruption:
- Toffee has corrupted all the magic of Mewni, turning it into a black goop. Star manages to find the one remaining speck of un-corrupted magic and uses it to purifying the whole realm.
- After Toffee claims Star is "gone", Moon's cheek diamonds turn black and the veins on her arms turn black and purple like Eclipsa.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: After corrupting all magic and regaining his finger, Toffee easily shrugs off or blocks all of Moon and Marco's attacks before leaving them to wallow in their despair.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: Marco manages to punch a hole in Toffee's chest. Though Toffee proceeds to easily heal the injury and send Marco flying, the attack would have been lethal against almost any other opponent.
- Darkest Hour: Star is lost in the deep realms of magic, all the magic in Mewni has been corrupted, and Toffee's been fully restored to life. He just casually strolls away from the ruins of the castle, confident no one can stop him from raising up an army of monsters again and conquering Mewni.
- Death by Irony: Toffee is defeated by Star, whom he looked down on for not thinking anything ahead and just going with the flow, and Ludo, whom he used and manipulated in order to put his plan in motion. Despite all his plans, Star thwarted his scheme to cripple the very source of magic and overpowered him, and Ludo finished him off for all his mistreatment.
- Desecrating the Dead: Not content with reducing Toffee's body to a stain in the ground, Ludo decides to fiddle around with his Toffee's (in-tact) eyeballs.
- Despair Event Horizon: After Star's apparent death, Moon hits this pretty hard — first she tries to use a dark spell that has already corrupted her arms, and when that fails to work, she's left tearfully trying to re-assemble the wand's jewel in the desperate hope that it'll somehow bring Star back.
- Didn't See That Coming: The look on Toffee's face just as Star's Wave-Motion Gun hits suggests that, for all of his insistence that he planned for everything, he did not account for Star managing to undo his corruption of all magic.
- Didn't Think This Through: Marco attempts to karate chop Star's manacles off, and it hurts badly. It's not impossible, but Marco isn't a master, so he doesn't have the necessary skill for it to work. If anything, Marco was trying to do it for a dramatic rescue. Marco immediately lampshades that it was really stupid of him, especially since he already had the key in his pocket.
- Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?:
- Marco punches a hole clean through Toffee's chest after he purportedly killed Star, with Toffee's healing factor making it this trope.
- Later, Ludo dropping a pillar on Toffee's melted remains right as the latter finishes his mad rant and sealing it with a parting insult also counts.
- Discard and Draw: By corrupting all magic, Toffee can't cast the spells he used in the Season 2 finale. But considering he's got his own body back, is a seasoned warrior, and is pretty much nigh-indestructible, he doesn't need them.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: When Star and Marco are reunited, they hug and Marco says Star's horn-headband is poking him. Star smiles at him and responds, "Take 'em off." See here
. - The Dog Bites Back: After having been manipulated and possessed by Toffee and dismissed without so much as a thank you, Ludo gets to deliver the final blow by pushing a pillar on him after being devastated by Star's attack.
- Dramatically Missing the Point: Buff Frog tells Marco to help the grieving Queen, to which Marco just hands her another piece. If anything, Buff Frog likely meant for Marco to give her emotional support.
- Elephant in the Living Room: The fact that Star has a crush on Marco and admitted as much to him. It was a shocking turn of events in the Season 2 finale. Throughout the entire special, not once does Marco bring it up when they reunite, only acting as if he hadn't seen Star for years (in fairness, they did have more pressing matters to concern themselves with during that time).
- The End... Or Is It?: Moments after Moon leaves Rhombulus's crystal room, relieved that Eclipsa is still trapped, her crystal starts to crack.
- "Eureka!" Moment:
- When Star tells Ludo that his wand is actually Toffee, he asks how that's possible. Star suddenly realizes that the Whispering Spell allowed him to insert himself into the wand, and that by casting it again she can insert herself into it.
- She later gets another one when considering the soup that Glossaryck offers her, realizing that she needs to "Dip Down".
- Exact Words: Moon's contract with Eclipsa said that she would be free if Toffee was killed, which is why she wasn't released back when Moon beat Toffee before. But now that Toffee's Killed Off for Real (as far as we know), the crystals encasing Eclipsa start to crack.
- Foot Popping: Star invokes this when she hugs Marco during their reunion.
- Foreshadowing: After Toffee is defeated, Moon takes note of The Corruption on her arms and visits Eclipsa, seeming relieved the latter is still in stasis. Then after she leaves, the crystal starts to crack.
- For the Evulz: That seems to be the only reason why Toffee convinces Ludo to Levitato the entire Youth Choir.
- Golden Super Mode: By dipping down far enough to grasp the last kernel of untainted magic, Star transforms into a powered-up version of the Mewberty form which is all glowing gold, able to undo Toffee's corruption and restore both the Magic High Commission and her wand. She gains enough destructive power to reduce Toffee to a sludge-coated skeleton.
- Graceful Loser: Ludo turns himself in and requests Star throw him into the void.
- Heel Realization: For the first time, Ludo does reflect on his own actions and is ready to make the effort to work on his issues.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Star uses the whispering spell on Ludo's hand-wand, causing it to self-destruct and cleave her inside.
- Hope Spot: Moon tries to use her darkest spell again, but nothing happens because Toffee has corrupted all magic... then Toffee's eyes go wide with shock. The camera pans down and Marco's fist is sticking out of Toffee's chest. Unfortunately Toffee proceeds to No-Sell it, then beat up Marco.
- Humble Goal: Evidently, all of Toffee's planning and manipulating, including the ruination of the Kingdom of Mewni and the deaths of the Magic High Commission members, has been for the sole purpose of regaining his finger. However, along the way he eliminated all magic, so he made sure he would never be under threat from immortal-killing magic again, so he had nothing but time.
- I Lied: Toffee tells Moon he will only release Star if she gives him his finger. Once he gets his finger back, he instead tells Star "goodbye" as his spirit departs the magic realm back to Mewni without her, leaving Star to fall and drown in corrupted magic. He then regenerates into his original form and spits out Ludo, but does nothing to bring back Star, crushing his half of the wand crystal and telling everyone she's gone.
- I'm Melting!: Star's Wave-Motion Gun leaves Toffee a walking skeleton only partially covered in melted flesh.
- Internal Reveal: Ludo finally learns the voice in the wand was Toffee.
- Ironic Echo: When the rat guards are about to "silence" Marco, Ruberiot says "The resistance will live on without you!" When Buff Frog and Moon save Marco, they leave the artists in chains, since "The resistance will live on without [him]."
- It Only Works Once: Moon tries to use the same spell that cancelled Toffee's Healing Factor in the past; since all of Mewni's magic has been corrupted, the wand does nothing.
- Journey to Find Oneself: Ludo decides to go on a personal quest to "work out" a few things, asking Star to throw him into the void again.
- Karmic Death: Two of Toffee's biggest attempted victims end up killing him.
- Little "No": Toffee's response when a despondent Ludo asks if he had any meaningful part to play at all is a blunt "No."
- The Load: Marco's resistance is less than a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits—they're all talk and no action, only dragging Marco down more.
- Meaningless Villain Victory: Toffee's finally managed to regain his finger, but he doesn't get to enjoy it very long.
- Not So Invincible After All: Turns out Toffee's Healing Factor isn't quite limitless, just that the amount of damage necessary to overwhelm it enough to actually kill him is so ludicrously high that it might as well be. After surviving a Wave-Motion Gun from Star that vaporizes most of his body and melts most of what's left to corrupted magical goo, Ludo apparently kills him by dropping a pillar on top of him.
- Not Worth Killing: Once he's gotten his finger and body back, Toffee just leaves without trying to kill Marco, Moon, or Buff Frog, only making the minimal amount of effort necessary to make them stop bothering him. As for Ludo, Toffee just does one last Kick the Dog moment for him. At this point, they're powerless to stop him.
- Oh, Crap!: Toffee, just seconds before he's hit by Star's Wave-Motion Gun.
- Power Echoes: Star's Golden Super Mode has a voice with deep echo that puts Avatar Aang to shame. Moon is visibly off-put when Star speaks.
- Punch Catch: Toffee blocks a few of Moon's blows this way.
- Refuse to Rescue the Disliked: Marco is almost turned into Swiss cheese by the rats for making so much noise. The Resistance didn't bother to even shut up to help him out. Once Marco is rescued, he leaves the artists in the dungeon.
- Running Gag: Star trying to pronounce Levitato correctly.
- Sharing a Body: Thanks to the Whipsering Spell, Star ends up sharing Ludo's body with Toffee. It doesn't do her much good, since Toffee is the dominant personality and Star can't talk past him once he asserts himself.
- Ship Tease: During the strategy session, Star tells Marco he's "never looked cuter" in his beret, to which Marco responds with a small smile.
- Shout-Out: Star's Transformation Sequence into her Golden Super Mode is straight out of Sailor Moon, including a heart and ribbons appearing out of nowhere.
- Sore Loser: Ludo, of all people concedes defeat and doesn't protest knowing it's over for him. Toffee? Not so much. Toffee just rants about how he can't be defeated, culminating into his own, pitiful end.
- Strange Minds Think Alike: Star and Marco both independently come up with ridiculous hand-made rat costumes to infiltrate Ludo's castle.
- There Is No Kill Like Overkill: Toffee is hit with a Wave-Motion Gun that melts him down to the skeleton, leaving bones barely held together by ooze, followed by being smashed by a heavy stone pillar dropped on top of him by Ludo. Justified, as that seemed to be the bare minimum required to actually kill him without his Healing Factor restoring him.
- This Cannot Be!: Toffee's rant during his Villainous Breakdown smacks of this, considering that he seems to be in denial over the severity of his own damage.
- Tranquil Fury: While Moon gets openly furious with Toffee (quite obviously, any mother would feel that way after losing their child), Marco manages to keep his cool despite obviously feeling terrible as well; that doesn't stop him from being furious enough to strike Toffee in a way that would have been lethal on anyone without a Healing Factor.
- Undignified Death: Toffee is hit by an overwhelmingly powerful blast from Star's magic wand, leaving him a horribly mutilated skeleton oozing with slime. Upon which he goes on a rant about how he can't lose because he plans out everything. Suddenly, Toffee is crushed to death unceremoniously by his own pawn Ludo. What a pathetic way to die for such a devious and brilliant villain.
- Villain Forgot to Level Grind: Toffee never really took the time to improve his own skills since his last battle with Moon, nor did he bother think far enough or adjust his plan for any unlikely developments after it is completed, assuming that by that point, no one would have the power to harm him. Star, on the other hand, went through the grinder of Season 2 and her skill and power has grown, with or without magic.
- Villainous Breakdown: Toffee goes into a major one after Star blasts him down to just a skeleton covered in corrupted-magic goo. He's left dragging his ravaged, melted body towards Star while ranting about how he can't lose because he's the only one who planned for everything.Toffee: You think you've won? Ha! You don't make the plans, I do! Me! Only I know how this all turns out!
- Vomit Indiscretion Shot: Toffee is shown throwing up Ludo on-screen.
- Wave-Motion Gun: Star uses a magical variation of one on Toffee after returning in her Golden Super Mode. It leaves Toffee so badly damaged that Ludo pushing a pillar on top of him is apparently enough to finish him off.
- Written by the Winners: Ludo has the Mewni youth choir sing a song about him bringing "peace" to the realm, and being "beloved by all". The episode even begins with a series of portraits of Ludo, one portraying him with angel wings as he fends off a monstrous-looking River.
